Vivo V17 Pro Review

by Fanboy SEO · Published November 27, 2019 · Updated November 27, 2019

Vivo’s flagship smartphone is finally here and I am quite happy with its performance and those little bits in terms of features and performance. Here is my Vivo V17 Pro review!

Vivo V17 Pro Specs

Display: 6.44-inch Super AMOLED FHD+, Ultra FullView, Schott Xensation UP
Design: metal frame, glass back, 91.65% screen-to-body ratio
CPU: Snapdragon 675 (11nm)
GPU: Adreno 612
RAM: 8GB
Memory: 128 GB + microSD up to 256 GB
Camera: 48MP Sony IMX583 primary sensor, f/1.8 + 13MP telephoto with 2X optical zoom, f/2.5 + 8MP 120º wide-angle + 2.5cm (1″) macro, f/2.2 + 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4, 4K @ 30fps video recording
Selfie Camera: motorized 32MP f2.0 wide + 2MP depth, 1080p @ 30fps video
Connectivity: 4G LTE A, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB Type-C, headphone jack, NFC(region dependent)
Security: under-screen fingerprint scanner
Battery: 4100 mAh with 18W Dual-Engine Fast Charging
OS: Android 9.0 Pie with FunTouch 9.1
Price: Php 21,999

Display

The 6.44 display for this baby is really smethinf. The screen is big enough to enjoy Youtube videos or games like Mobile Legends Bang Bang but at the same time it looks unassuming. It doesn’t scream look at how big it is. The design elements definitely helps in keeping things grounded.DesignEverything here works exquisitely well. The unibody is polished plastic but beautifully made.

The power button and the volume controls are situated on the right hand side of the device…

The V17 Pro also features a pop-up camera that’s sturdier than what it looks.

As you can see from the photo above its got three cameras on the rear with a built-in LED flash for dim lighting or flash photography. I’ve been wary about pop-up cameras, especially in situations where you bump into something while doing a selfie and I’m happy that this has been debunked. These cameras are tougher than they look, so as you as you don’t ram the camera onto a wall, or drop it from a high altitude, this would be good to go.

On an experiential level, the pop up camera has been through numerous close calls and even if it were a minor bump, it doesn’t feel like the camera would fall off nor did I get any hiccups performance wise.

The design looks sleek and its easy to hold thanks to the device’s total weight which is 201.8 g. Don’t worry about scratches too as the V17 Pro also has Gorilla Glass 6. Plastic back cover though is just OK (hey the price point needs to be justified too right?)

The smartphone can do two (2) sim cards too which is sort of the norm these days for flagship phones regardless of brand or manufacturer.

Gaming

Playing mobile games with the Vivo V17 Pro is such a breeze and I haven’t experienced any real slowdowns during games or just swiping away on social media. The Qualcomm SDM675 Snapdragon 675 (11 nm) works quite well with the Adreno 612 GPU and Octacore CPU.

Check out these photos from various games I installed on the review unit.

Check out the actual recordings for the games using the V17 Pro:

Camera

The Vivo V17 Pro’s camera is impressive for the price point led by the 48 megapixel Sony IMX583 primary sensor together with the secondary and tertiary cameras that come along with it.

The main camera is good and the night mode works really, really GREAT. Check out some of the shots I took below.

The camera’s AI system works extremely well for street photography. There was one time I took photos in Cubao one evening after an event and the images just pops out of the screen, some livelier than the other. Mind you this was a mix of normal photos and night shots.

Selfies are impeccable with this device, I’ve got zero qualms about it.

With “Respeto” director Treb Monteras

I have very slight problems with the ultrawide angle, but that’s easily forgiveable.

Benchmarks

Geekbench

The Vivo V17 Pro comes with the Android 9.0 (Pie); Funtouch 9.1 and there’s nothing really new here. Take a look at the interface and home menu.

There’s no subfolders here and to adjust brightness and volume, you swipe up. Notifications can be removed or checked when you swipe down from the home screen.

Vivo V17 Pro Review – Verdict

How can something so powerful and sleek looking be priced at this point. Better question is does Vivo even earn anything from the price of the Vivo V17 Pro? Its such a good smartphone this year that I’m already thinking of making this my official daily driver for the rest of the year and well beyond the first half of 2020.

The camera is amazing, the photos are beautiful and vivid and I’m floored with the Night Mode on the product.

Gaming is also such a breeze and the whole AI system they use for games just actually works. I’ve had numerous arguments with my wife already because her PMs on Facebook messenger gets completely ignored while playing mobile games like Mobile Legends and even Call of Duty Mobile.

Taking videos is also great because I can be assured that the output would be great. Check out this sample unboxing video I did using the V17 Pro on a Funko Pop…